Grit and grace: A look back at Ahtisa Manalo's 18-year journey to the Miss Universe crown
Ahtisa Manalo’s road to the Miss Universe crown took years of waiting and working. But every time she stepped onto the stage, the title slipped away. This, however, never stopped her from showing her heart, strength, and worth. In every try, she proved again and again that she is capable and that she truly deserves her moment.
From a young age, Ahtisa's childhood demanded resourcefulness and instilled in her a strong urge to support her family. Her family's living situation was often unstable, as she had to move frequently between the homes of different relatives. In an interview with PUSH, Ahtisa mentioned that at one point, their housing was a small, "20 square-meter makeshift house" wedged between two others. And so, from a young age, she knew she needed to find a way to support her education.
“I would sell teks, pogs, jolens. May sari-sari store kami, bantay ako. Kapag mahal na araw, nagtitinda kami ng mommy ko ng kandila sa sementeryo. And magbobote din ako dati. Mangongolekta ako ng mga pinag inuman ng alak. Mag dudukal ako ng bakal sa likod ng bahay namin. Coz I wanted to make money. I knew we didn’t have that and I wanted to provide that for us,” she told Boy Abunda earlier this year.
At 10 years old, she tried pageantry, not because she dreamed of winning a crown and title, but because she wanted to take home the grand prize that offered free tuition for the next school year.
Finding strength in family
Ahtisa has never met her biological father, and her strength and drive came from the women who raised her. "A lot of the way I am is because of her (my late grandmother), it's because of how she raised me. More than anything, I'm grateful that even though she has passed from this world, she is still with me and she pushed me to go for my dreams."
When asked about her biological father on Fast Talk with Boy Abunda, Ahtisa speaks with clarity about the non-existent relationship. “I think there was no anger on my end. But it was more of an indifference. Because we don't have a relationship. It's hard to be angry at someone when you don't know them,” she explained.
She noted the occasional attempts at contact: “He reached out to me online for a few times. But even then, it feels like a distant person. You don't even know what you guys are up to, hindi niyo alam kung ano nangyayari sa buhay. So, it's not really a relationship as I would call it."
Ahtisa shared that while his absence sometimes led to longing, it was never crippling. This absence, however, became fuel for her ambition. “It never really affected my life in a way that it was debilitating for me. To me, it was more motivation to do better for myself coz I don’t have that help on the side of having a biological father. It just made me more independent.”
In the next years, she joined local pageants to continue financially supporting her studies and her family. "My motivation was I knew I had a life I wanted to live, and I wasn't living it yet," she told PUSH. "Sabi ko, I need to find opportunities or create opportunities for myself to achieve the life I wanted."
In 2016, she was named Queen of the Niyogyugan Festival. The following year, she represented her province in the Reyna ng Aliwan Festival 2017, placing 2nd runner-up.
A year later, she joined Binibining Pilipinas and made her global debut at Miss International, where she proudly brought home the 1st Runner-Up title.
Finding strength after the storm
Ahtisa's journey has also been marked by battles, including surviving an abusive relationship. In a promotional video, Ahtisa revealed that she competed at the Miss International 2018 pageant with no fingernail and that at one point, she was dragged and pulled out of the door and was locked in by her former partner.
She spoke candidly about the trauma and the path to healing, saying, "It was very hard. Up until now, there would be moments now I can tell that my perspective has been changed because of it. But with family, friends, professional help, it gets easier. There still is the burden, but it gets easier and smaller in time."
When asked if the difficult experience caused her to quit pageantry, she responded simply: "I don’t think giving up is in my vocabulary. Lalaban lang ako," she told PUSH, adding a powerful reminder of self-worth and survival. "It’s remembering that the abuse wasn’t about you. It’s just violence and abuse with the side of the abuser, but it has nothing to do with who you are. It doesn't make you weak because you suffered it, it just makes you a stronger person for being able to survive it."
Dreams of the Miss Universe crown
Behind her debut in the international pageant scene at Miss International, she admitted that she wanted to win the Miss Universe crown at the time.
“During the Binibining Pilipinas [2018], I really wanted the Miss Universe [Philippines] crown, but then it was not given to me,” she previously said in an interview with Dyan Castillejo. “But I was very happy with what I got and I thought then that I wouldn’t have the chance to do it na.”
She initially joined the inaugural Miss Universe Philippines pageant after it separated from Binibining Pilipinas, but later withdrew her candidacy due to health reasons.
The 28-year-old beauty queen admitted she “was not ready” and felt that she still “had a lot of growing to do” at the time.
“When I joined Binibining Pilipinas back in 2018, I was very young. I was 20. I didn’t feel like I was able to utilize the platform to its full potential,” she said.
“I don’t think I was ready then. I felt like I had a lot of growing to do,” she said, adding that since the interval between Binibining Pilipinas 2018 and Miss Universe Philippines 2020 was short, she believed she didn't have “anything new to offer to the pageant scene.”
She took a break and ventured to open two cafes in Australia. In 2024, she returned to the stage and officially made her first bid for the MUPh crown, representing Quezon Province. She failed to clinch the coveted title, but she was named the first-ever Miss Cosmo Philippines after finishing as second runner-up.
Ahtisa brought pride as she finished in the Top 10 of the Miss Cosmo 2024 tilt. Fast forward to this year, she was supposed to run as a councilor in Quezon City, but ultimately withdrew and decided to focus on her bid for the MUPh 2025 crown.
On May 2, she finally won the Miss Universe title after her three attempts.
Throughout her journey, she advocated for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and youth empowerment, especially honing their leadership skills.
One last bid to the crown
Ahead of the coronation night, Ahtisa is making sure she stands out among over 100 delegates in this year’s pageant. She celebrated the country’s vibrant festival culture with a stunning display of Mak Tumang’s Festejada.
Radiating confidence, she impressed during the swimsuit competition and looked absolutely regal in Tumang’s Pinctada gown.
Determined to bring home the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe crown, Manalo is giving it her all—especially since this marks her final pageant.
“This is my last pageant, so I’m seeing it as an opportunity to close this chapter of my life. There’s always pressure carrying the Philippine sash because of the incredible women who came before you,” she shared with CNN.
Her grit was also inspired by her late grandmother, whose dream was to see her win the coveted crown.
"After losing my grandmother, I realized what truly matters in life," she shared. "Seeing how hard she worked, I knew that if I didn’t pursue my dream of becoming Miss Universe, I would be doing her a disservice. I believe beauty queens carry stories of inspiration—stories that motivate others to work harder and dream bigger."
Ahtisa’s 18-year journey in pageantry has been marked by both triumphs and setbacks. Coming from a humble household, she worked tirelessly to rise to the top. She faced disappointments and abuse, from missing the MUPh title twice to small mishaps—like falling during her evening gown walk while vying for the crown.
Yet, time and again, she proved her resilience, showing that setbacks only fueled her determination to come back stronger.
"When you come from a poor background, you always think the world is limited, that the world is small for you, and dreams are not possible to achieve," she said. "It would mean a lot to be able to be that symbol of hope for people to never give up on their dreams."
Ahtisa is ready to give her all, one last time.
